Merkel, who was born in upstate New York, was described as having a "religious-like devotion" to the Bills as well as the Syracuse Orange. His obituary calls him an "avid fisherman" and "sports enthusiast."

The Bills are currently 2-3 behind rookie quarterback Josh Allen after benching starting QB Nathan Peterman. The team never won a Super Bowl in Lee Merkel's lifetime, despite reaching four in a row in the 1990s. On the day of Merkel's passing, the Bills defeated the Tennessee Titans by a score of 13-12.